Shooter testifies that barber was aggressor in Pomona killing

POMONA -- A man accused of shooting and killing a barber took the witness stand today in his murder trial and testified that the barber was the aggressor in the incident, and he shot him because he feared for his life.

Omari Ali testified that Larry Hammett, a barber for 16 years at Groom Time in Pomona, pointed a gun at his face after Ali declined to buy Hammett's marijuana and told him it was low-grade.

Ali, 21, said he feared Hammett was going to shoot him, so he took the gun from Hammett and shot at him indiscriminately, striking him seven times.

Hammett, 46, of Ontario, died from his wounds in the July 27, 2008 incident.

Prosecutors believe Ali and his friend Keyon Rasheed Hill, 20, went to Groom Time to rob Hammett, and killed him when he resisted their robbery attempt. Hill declined to testify today.

After the shooting, Hammett's pockets were turned inside-out and his wallet was missing, as was a large bag of marijuana that witnesses said he kept there.

Attorneys are set to give closing arguments Friday morning in Pomona Superior Court, and when arguments end the jury will begin deliberations.

Ali, of Los Angeles, testified that he and his girlfriend, Breeana Finley, went to Pomona with Hill to look at low-income apartments. Hill is from the Pomona area and his aunt managed a complex in the city, Ali said.

After driving to the complex, Hill discovered that his aunt was not working, so the group left for the barbershop, Ali testified.

Hill told the group he wanted to visit the Holt Avenue barbershop to buy marijuana from Hammett, and as they traveled there it occurred to Ali that he could try to buy a quarter-pound of marijuana from Hammett to later sell himself, Ali testified.

"I needed to support me and my girlfriend," Ali said.

When they arrived at the barbershop, Ali said he waited outside a backroom office while Hill spoke to Hammett about possibly selling a quarter-pound to Ali, who said he had about $200 with him.

After about 15 seconds, Hill opened the office door and introduced Ali to Hammett before leaving the two alone to conduct business, Ali testified.

Hammett told Ali that he didn't have a quarter-pound of marijuana with him right then, but he could get it, according to Ali.

Hammett then gave Ali a sample of the marijuana, and after smelling it Ali told him he didn't want to buy from Hammett because the marijuana didn't smell high-quality, Ali testified.

"I guess he took it as offensive, because he said I was wasting his time," Ali said.

Ali said he turned to leave the office but Hammett pulled him back, pushed him several times, and told said he couldn't leave until Hammett allowed it, according to Ali.

Ali said he shoved Hammett and again turned to leave, and Hammett again grabbed him and pulled him back. But this time, according to Ali, Hammett was holding a gun in his right hand.

"I'll blow your face off," Hammett said, according to Ali.

The two men struggled over control of the gun, and Ali said he took control of it and immediately began firing at Hammett.

"I shot at him," Ali said. "I was scared. ... I felt like I had to protect my life. I'm not a killer."
Ali testified that he ran out of the barbershop holding Hammett's gun, but didn't take anything else.

The group went from the barbershop to Hill's friend's house in Pomona, and while they were there Ali said he threw away the gun from the barbershop in a curbside trash can nearby.

Ali's description of Hammett's behavior contradicts much of what the jury has heard this week about Hammett's character. His friends and co-workers at the barbershop said they never knew the barber to carry a gun.

The jury was told today that Ali has three prior felony convictions: for assault, marijuana sales and gun possession.

They also watched a 20-minute video of Ali's brother and mother visiting Ali at the Pomona City Jail after he was arrested.

During the visit, Ali's brother, Rasheed Ali, wrote messages to his brother on a piece of paper that he held up to the glass that separates suspects from visitors.

When police seized the note, they found references to a gun as well as other potentially incriminating passages.

Ali said on the witness stand today that he didn't remember his brother showing him the note.

Ali and Hill's defense attorneys implied in their questioning this week that Hammett's marijuana may have been missing from the barbershop after the shooting not because of a robbery, but because Hammett's friends cleaned the crime scene before police arrived to keep it secret that Hammett was selling drugs.